Method for Producing Acrylic Acid Through Dehydration of Lactic Acid and Apparatus for Manufacturing the Same

Abstract

A method for producing an acrylic acid through dehydration of lactic acid in which a liquid mixture of the reaction products prepared at a reaction temperature in the presence of a catalyst are continuously passed through the optical cell of a near-infrared spectrometer. Real time analysis results including concentrations of lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives including lactic acid oligomers, acrylic acid, and propanoic acid are obtained. The reaction temperature or whether to perform regeneration of the catalyst is based on the analysis results. An apparatus for manufacturing the acrylic acid having a reaction unit for lactic acid dehydration in the presence of a catalyst, a discharge unit, an absorption tower or condenser for preparing a liquid mixture, a supply unit for supplying the liquid mixture to an optical cell of a near-infrared spectrometer, and a near-infrared signal processing and control device is also provided.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.